My next move was to contact our local Mustang hotshot, Justin Nelson at J&J Performance in Ft. Myers, Florida. We sat down over lunch and I explained to him what my vision of the ultimate Fox body coupe would be. It would have to look stock; in fact, I insisted that the stock hood be maintained. It would make a ton of horsepower utilizing the stock Ford computer, run on pump gas, and have A/C and a killer stereo. It would have to be a stick, even though my past experiences taught me that an automatic is usually faster in most cases. there is just no underestimating the fun-factor associated with rowing through the gears. I wanted comfortable seats, a stock-looking cockpit without a rollcage, and a smoothed engine bay without those annoying Swiss cheese inner body panels and wires running everywhere. Finally, I wanted a car that would turn and stop.
Several thousand dollars and a year later, I have my ultimate Fox-body Mustang. I don't know what it runs in the quarter, and I really don't care. That's not what I built the car for. I do know that it dyno'd at 590 rwhp, and it stops and turns better than my wife's '03 Cobra. It sounds wicked, but it's not exceptionally loud. And when I pop the hood,people freak out.
I'd like to thank Jay Meagher for keeping the car in such good shape before I owned it, Justin Nelson for doing the assembly, Mike Saponara for his help, Jim Noble at American Enterprise Collision in Cape Coral, Florida, for smoothing the engine bay and providing the wonderful paint job, and most of all, my wife, Maria, the love of my life.
In summary, I think you really need to be a Fox-body Mustang devotee to truly appreciate this car. Chevy people look at it and they see a stock Mustang with a shiny engine. They have no idea that it makes almost 600 hp and will eat their car for lunch. That's what I like most about the car. It's beautiful, has a serious engine with a Dart block and Crower billet crankshaft, turns great, stops well, has A/C, and will lay waste to almost anything in its path. It may not be for everyone, but it's a perfect representation of my ultimate street car. I hope others enjoy it too.
We couldn't have said it better, Rick.
5.0 Tech SpecsEngine And DrivetrainBlock DartBore4.030Stroke3.25Displacement331 ciCrankCrower billet steelRods4340 H-beamPistonsRossCompression Ratio9:1CamCam MotionSpecs576/584 lift, 242/254 duration, 113.5 degree lobe center angleRocker ArmsT&D shaftHeadsTrick Flow Twisted Wedge, with Bennett Stage III portingEngine BuilderJustin Nelson, J&J Performance, Ft. Myers, FloridaIntakeEdelbrock Performer RPM II, ported by J&J PerformanceThrottle BodyAccufab 75mmMass AirPro-M 80mmInjectors42 lb/hrFuel PumpUPR twin Bosch 375-lphHeadersJBA short-tubeExhaustBassani X-pipe, Flowmaster Force II after-cat systemPower AdderPaxton Novi 2000, 12 psiTransmissionD&D Viper T56ClutchSPEC Stage IIIDriveshaftD&D Dynotech matrix aluminumRearend'98 Cobra 8.8, 4.10:1 gearset with stock Traction-Lok diffRollCage"None, it's a street car."
ElectronicsEngine ManagementEEC IV, with Diablosport chip by Willie FigueroaIgnitionMSD 6BTMGaugesAuto Meter
Suspension and Chassis Front SuspensionK-memberUPRControl armsUPRSpringsGriggs GR-40StrutsKoni YellowCaster/CamberUPRBrakes'98 CobraWheelsCobra R 17x8Tires245/45x17 Nitto 555Rear SuspensionSpringsGriggs coiloverShocksKoniControl armsGriggs MCA 4500 N/Griggs torque armBrakes'98 CobraWheelsCobra R 17x9Tires275/40x17 Nitto 555R